I'm Afraid You'll Go
by CheesyGoom
Summary: A meeting in the street can turn into a lifelong love. HPDM. Rated T for boyluff and language. Some abuse and suicidal thoughts. Cutting is a maybe.
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to my new attempt at a serious fic! Ok, I'm going to try reeeeeeeeeeeeeally hard to make it not retarded, ok? Ok. It'll probably be crap. But meh. The idea came to me whilst I was in the shower. Yes, I do a lot of thinking in the shower. SHUT UP! _

**Disclaimer: I own NUTTIN'! **

"Look, daddy, Sevvy, a boy!"

Two pairs of eyes turned towards the sidewalk. Indeed a boy, no older than the one who had spotted him, was lying motionless. The excited blonde five year old hurried over to the motionless boy, poking him in every exposed bit of skin he could find.

"Wake up! Wake up; this is no place to sleep! Daddy, why won't he wake up?"

And, just as Lucius Malfoy start to think the worst, the motionless boy let out a low groan. Lucius knelt beside the boy, and gently nudged him. "Draco, stop poking him", he instructed softly. Draco did as he was told, and went to stand next to Severus Snape. The boy groaned again, and rolled onto his back, his emerald green eyes wide. The boy was dressed in ripped jean shorts, and a green shirt that was at least five sizes too big. Lucius helped the boy into a sitting position, and gently looked him over, trying to find any injury.

"What is your name?" Lucius asked softly, his fingers gently tracing the boy's back.

"Harry Potter, sir", the boy said, stiffening when Lucius' fingers reached a certain part of his back. Lucius grew suspicious, and lifted the shirt. A large bruise covered Harry's lower back.

Draco watched the scene from his position with Severus. "Sevvy, why does he have a bruise?"

"There could be many reasons for that, Draco", Severus replied, looking fondly down at the blonde boy. Lucius helped Harry to his feet.

"Are you okay?" Draco asked, immediately hurrying over. When Harry nodded, a large smile appeared on Draco's face. "D'you want to play? We can go to my house, I have lots of toys! You can even keep some when you get home! I have two of everything. Daddy and Sevvy buy me lots of stuff. I even have a pony! Have you ever ridden? You can ride my pony."

Harry looked at the ground. "Uncle Vernon might… want me home."

"We can take you", Severus said, "Where do you live, Harry?"

"Uncle Vernon says not to give strange people our address", Harry said, looking at the people in front of him for the first time. The two men were dressed in robes of some sort. It wasn't normal. Harry was sure Uncle Vernon would blow a fuse at the sight of them.

"You shouldn't wander around by yourself, Harry. You're too young for that. We will walk you home, and explain to your uncle what happened", Lucius said firmly. Harry slowly nodded. He certainly didn't want to walk by himself. People were dangerous. Well, the strange ones were.

"Where do you live?" Severus asked again.

"Number four, Privet Drive", Harry said softly. Lucius took Draco's hand, and Severus took Harry's.

In no time at all, they had reached Harry's house. Lucius walked to the door and knocked sharply. After a moment, the door opened to reveal a rather fat man. His eyes took in the clothing the two men in front of him wore. "Can I help you?"

"Good day, sir. I was out with my husband and son, and we came across your … ah … nephew, was it? Harry?" Lucius said. Uncle Vernon narrowed his eyes.

"_Husband_?" he said incredulously. "So this means you're …"

"Gay. Yes, sir, it does", Lucius said, holding out his hand, "Lucius Malfoy."

"Vernon Dursley", was the reply. Uncle Vernon didn't take the outstretched hand. "Get in the house, boy."

Harry gave his uncle a frightened look, and hurried into the house. Draco watched him go sadly. "Can he play tomorrow?" Draco asked. Uncle Vernon looked down at Draco.

"You want to play with the boy?" he asked, his eyebrows rising in disbelief when Draco nodded enthusiastically. "He is busy tomorrow."

"Doing what?" Severus questioned. Uncle Vernon glared at him.

"The boy's business is not yours", he said. Severus started to reply, but Lucius raised a hand to stop him.

"I noticed you call him 'boy'. Why not Harry?" he asked. Uncle Vernon didn't answer. "There is a large bruise on Harry's back. I insist you get that checked out." That was the last straw for Uncle Vernon.

"I accept that you people are not normal. I accept that you found the boy, and you walked him home. A very good deed. However, you will _not_ tell me what to do with my nephew. If there is a bruise on him, I would know about it. Never contact my family or I again."

And with that, Uncle Vernon slammed the door. "Why that little-"

"Calm down, Severus. I have the feeling that is not the last we will be seeing of young Harry Potter", Lucius said.


	2. Chapter 2

_Yay, I got positive feedback from the first chapter! I'll admit, it was a little short, but hey… it was thought of in the early hours of the morning. I'll try to make them longer in future. Also, people seem to be adding this story to their favourites, or story alert, but no reviews! Cheesy's getting sad! _

**Disclaimer – Don't own it!**

* * *

Uncle Vernon turned his beady-eyed gaze to Harry. His face was an ugly purple colour. His hand was raised. Harry knew Uncle Vernon was angry. "I'm sorry Uncle Vernon, I shouldn't have-"

"You're damn right you shouldn't have! What the hell were you thinking, bringing those … those _people_ here?"

Harry lowered his gaze. "They just wanted to make sure I didn't get hurt."

Uncle Vernon brought his hand back, and down, making it come in contact with Harry's face. Harry winced, but otherwise didn't show any sign of pain. Uncle Vernon seemed like he wanted to hit him again, but Aunt Petunia's voice rang out from the kitchen. "Vernon! Marge is on the phone!"

Uncle Vernon threw Harry a disgusted look, before storming into the kitchen. Harry put a hand to his face. He could already feel his cheek swelling; he knew a bruise would form. "Daddy doesn't like you!" A fat boy entered the room, a triumphant look on his face. "I told you, I told you ever since you came that daddy hated you."

Harry didn't reply, he just kept his gaze on the floor. "Daddy said our lives would be better if you weren't here!"

"That's not true", Harry said quietly. The fat boy laughed.

"Dudders, come and get some lunch!" Aunt Petunia called.

"Mummy doesn't like you, either. She says you're just in the way", Dudley said, before skipping into the kitchen. Harry watched him go.

* * *

"Why didn't the fat man let Harry play with me?" a saddened Draco asked his father. Lucius gave Draco a gentle look.

"Some people are very protective of their children, son", he said, "Go and play with your toys, Sevvy and I need to talk."

"He didn't seem protective", Severus said after Draco ran away. Lucius sighed.

"What was I supposed to tell my son, Severus? 'He's an abusive man with every intention to keep Harry away from other living creatures'?"

Severus sighed. "I know, Luc, I know. But what are we going to do? How are we going to get Harry out of there?"

"Tell the Muggle authorities, of course. We can't take it into our own hands, Sev, we barely know the child", Lucius said, placing a hand on his husband. Severus fell into a deep thought, his thumb gently caressing Lucius' hand.

* * *

Several days passed without incident. Harry remained in his cupboard under the stairs, out of the way of his aunt and uncle. Every now and then, Dudley would bang loudly on the door, asking his cousin to 'play' with him. Harry was well aware of what Dudley meant by 'play', however. Dudley's definition of 'playing' was to beat his cousin up, throw things at him, and chase him down the street. There was no real 'playing' involved.

It was a bright, sunny Saturday. Aunt Petunia was humming to herself as she prepared lunch for her son and husband. A slice of cheese and a single piece of bread sat on a plate for Harry. A glass of water accompanied it. She wouldn't let the boy die, nor would she let him enjoy the luxurious meals she prepared for her _family_. So she gave him enough to survive. Little did she know, Harry wasn't in the cupboard under the stairs. In fact, he was on his way to the park, the only place he could hide so he wouldn't have to put up with Dudley's and Uncle Vernon's constant beatings.

Harry lowered himself onto the soft grass, under the shade of a large tree. His eyes scanned the park, resting on the happy families that were scattered about. Proud parents watched their children play. Harry longed for that kind of life. He sighed, letting his gaze wander again. Harry squinted. Were his eyes playing tricks on him, or was there an excited little blonde boy running towards him?

* * *

"Daddy! Sevvy! Look, its Harry!" Draco said, jumping up and down excitedly whilst pointing towards a tree. Lucius looked up from his newspaper, and Severus followed Draco's finger. Draco let out a squeal of excitement, and ran towards Harry. Lucius stood up, and Severus followed suit, the two men following the boy. "Harry! Harry!" Draco shouted excitedly as he neared the boy.

Harry watched uncertainly as Draco came to a stop right in front of him, bouncing up and down with a large grin on his face. "Hiya Harry!" Draco said, waving madly. Harry slowly raised a hand and waved back, as Lucius placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Harry. Why are you here alone?" Severus asked a tone of disapproval in his voice. Harry lowered his gaze.

"My aunt and uncle were busy."

Severus didn't buy it. "Busy doing what?"

Harry froze. Lucius frowned at his husband. 'What are you doing?' he mouthed.

'You'll see', Severus mouthed back.

"They're … working", Harry said.

"It's Saturday", Draco pointed out, a frown on his face.

"What's that bruise on your cheek, Harry?" Lucius asked. Harry quickly brought a hand to his face, covering the bruise. But it was too late; it had been spotted.

"I fell down the stairs", Harry said lamely. Lucius frowned, but accepted the excuse.

"Harry, would you like to come back to our house for lunch and dinner?" Lucius asked.

* * *

"Have you spoken to Dumbledore?" Severus asked quietly, as Harry and Draco played with Draco's toys. Lucius gave a short nod.

"He will be investigating whether or not Harry is being abused. He says even if Harry is being abused, he will not be able to live with us until he is at least eight", he replied. Severus sighed. Didn't Dumbledore see how important this was? An innocent boy was being abused, for no good reason. Sure, Harry was under threat from Lord Voldemort. Sure, Harry was safe with the blood protection, as long as he stayed under the Dursley's roof. But, with or without the blood protection, Severus and Lucius were strong enough to keep Harry out of harms way.

Harry let out a soft yawn, and dropped the dinosaur toy he had been playing with. He turned his emerald-green gaze to the two older men, an innocent look in his eyes. "I'm sleepy", he stated. Lucius gave the boy a fond look.

"Would you like to stay the night, Harry?" he asked. Harry looked as if he wanted to do nothing more than spend the rest of his life there, but he sadly lowered his gaze.

"Uncle Vernon will be expecting me back home to do the washing up", he said softly. Lucius and Severus exchanged a frown.

"I'm sure one night won't hurt the dishes, Harry", Severus said gently.

"But if I'm not home soon, Uncle Vernon will-" Harry cut his sentence short, a look of horror coming to his face.

"He will what, Harry?" Lucius asked, leaning forward in his chair. Harry shook his head wildly. He had said too much. Lucius lowered himself onto the floor in front of Harry, grasping the boy's small hands in his own larger ones. "What will he do, Harry?"

"He'll beat me", Harry said softly, staring at the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

_Weeeeee, drama! _

_Also, I'd like to thank everybody that's reviewed, and everybody who's added this story to their favourites, or story alerts. You guys rock, and you each get a giant PAT ON THE HEAD._

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned them. But no. If I did, every single Harry Potter book would have Draco and Harry sexing each other up. And the movies would be rated XXX. For PORN.**

* * *

"How can you not see it, Dumbledore?!" Lucius shouted, "The boy is being abused! The bruises should be enough proof!"

"The bruises are a cause for worry", Dumbledore said calmly, "But Lucius, the boy's uncle has said that Harry is extremely clumsy."

Lucius let out a roar of frustration. "Like _shit_ he is clumsy! Harry is the most graceful boy I have seen!"

"With all due respect, my dear Lucius, you have known the boy for a mere few weeks", Dumbledore said, "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley have known the boy his whole life."

"And they _hate_ him! Why can't you see that?"

"They have shown nothing but compassion for the boy."

"Then they've Confunded you!"

"They are not wizards."

"They've done _something _to make you believe they're saints!"

Dumbledore slowly rose from his seat, his gaze locked on Lucius. "Lucius, I remember it like yesterday when you and your father stormed in here demanding that Severus be taken out of his home due to abuse."

"That turned out to be true, didn't it?" Lucius spat. His respect for the older man was dropping rapidly. Dumbledore gave a short incline of his head.

"Yes, it was true. But Severus was less than willing to admit to abuse, wasn't he?"

"What are you saying, Dumbledore?"

"Until I have heard a verbal confession from young Harry, I can not do anything to help him."

"He admitted to me, Dumbledore. He admitted that his uncle beats him. Isn't that enough for you?"

"He confessed to _you_, Lucius. He did not confess to _me_."

Lucius stared at the older man.

"That", he began slowly, "Is a load of _shit_."

* * *

"How did it go?" Severus asked quietly that night at dinner. Lucius growled under his breath. Draco looked up from his plate, alarmed.

"Are you okay, Daddy?" Draco asked. Lucius looked at his son, and managed a soft smile.

"I'm fine, Draco."

Severus frowned. "I'm assuming it didn't go well."

"Let's put it this way", Lucius said, wiping the side of his mouth with a napkin, "Dumbledore won't do anything to help Harry until Harry confesses to Dumbledore that he's getting abused."

"He won't", Severus said. "You know how long it took _us_ to make him confess."

Lucius gave a tired sigh. "I don't know what I'm going to do, Severus. I can't just storm right in and _take_ the boy from his aunt and uncle."

"Maybe we can", Severus said thoughtfully.

"It would never work. We'd have the Muggle authorities _and_ the Wizarding authorities after us."

Severus shook his head. "Don't you remember what _you_ did, Luc? You told the _Muggle_ authorities that I was being abused. They're a lot more understanding than the Wizarding authorities."

"Are you saying that I should tell the Muggle authorities?" Lucius asked. Severus nodded.

"It can't hurt, Luc. They'd be quicker to investigate, and they'd send more people."

Lucius stroked his chin, a thoughtful look on his face. "It could work …"

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_You may not understand this entire letter, as you are only five. However, you are a smart five year old, and you will surely figure it out. You told me you were being abused. Harry, I'm going to do something about it. I alerted the Wizard authorities of your situation, but they will not take action until they hear a confession from you. I am sure you would not want to do this, therefore, I am alerting the Muggle (or non-magic) authorities. They will be more understanding. Harry, you do not need to put up with this abuse for much longer. Hang in there, my boy, you will be within safe walls soon enough._

_Yours truly,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Harry stared at the letter. He never got letters._ Ever_. To receive one – and from a _friend_ – was the greatest joy Harry had ever felt. But – confession? Harry shook his head. There was no way he'd confess to people he didn't know. Lucius was one thing, a large group of strangers was another. Harry read the letter over and over again. Uncle Vernon didn't know he had gotten one. It had arrived in the _strangest_ way. An owl had brought it to him whilst he was outside in the garden. Harry had shooed the owl before any 'Muggles' – as Lucius called them (Harry still had no idea what a 'Wizard' or 'Muggle' was) – could see it.

* * *

It had been three days since Harry had received the letter, and nothing had happened. Harry was starting to doubt Lucius' promise of 'being within safe walls soon enough'. The beatings were getting worse, too. Every time Harry asked the simplest question, Uncle Vernon would be there with his fist all ready to strike. Harry sometimes refused to come out of his cupboard. This resulted in more beatings. There was a bruise in the shape of a handprint from where Uncle Vernon had tried to strangle Harry. Luckily, Aunt Petunia stopped her husband with the promise of a luxurious dinner. Harry thought that maybe, just _maybe_, Aunt Petunia felt something for him.

But Aunt Petunia had set him straight. "I only stopped Vernon from killing you because the tall, skinny old man told me that if you were to die, the world as we know it would come to an end", she had said. This had confused Harry greatly. What did the world have to do with him?

It wasn't until the seventh day after receiving the letter did Harry start to notice some changes. A police car stopped outside one day whilst Harry was chasing a butterfly down the sidewalk. The policeman smiled politely down at the boy. "Good afternoon, young man. I'm Detective McKenzie. Would this happen to be the residence of a Mr. and Mrs. Dursley?"

_Residence? What does he think I am – seven? _Harry thought. He smiled brightly up at the detective. "My aunt and uncle live here."

Detective McKenzie had a small frown on his face, but he shook it off, and the smile returned. "You must be Harry", he said, kneeling so he was Harry's height. "Can you take me in to see your aunt and uncle?"

Harry frowned. "They don't like me bringing strangers home."

"How did you get that bruise, Harry?" McKenzie asked, changing the subject. Harry ran his fingers over his cheek.

"I fell", he stated.

"You fell." McKenzie didn't look like he believed the boy.

"Yes. I fell down the stairs. I'll take you to see Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon now."

"Thank you." McKenzie stood up, and followed Harry to the house. Harry glanced nervously back at the older man, before he opened the front door and stepped inside. McKenzie followed Harry all the way to the kitchen.

"Err … Aunt Petunia?" Harry said nervously.

"What do you want, boy? I'm- oh!" Aunt Petunia stared at Detective McKenzie.

"Detective McKenzie, London Police. I'm here on behalf of an anonymous call regarding child abuse", McKenzie said, holding out his badge for the horse-faced lady to see. Aunt Petunia shrank back.

"I'll just … get my husband", she murmured, hurrying out of the kitchen. Harry turned to face McKenzie.

"What's child abuse?" he asked innocently. McKenzie gave the boy a fond smile.

"Child abuse is where the parents of a child hurt their child for no reason", he said. Harry shook his head.

"But Uncle Vernon doesn't hurt Dudley."

* * *

_Dun dun dunnnn! How do you like the suspense? Ooooh, did Harry just rat out his uncle? God I hope so. He's too fat for his own good._


	4. Chapter 4

_Apparently people actually like where this story is going. I feel loved. Well, I'll try to update as frequently as possible while I'm on holidays. But once I'm off holidays, I'll be lucky if I update more than once a week._

**Disclaimer: Why do I even bother? You KNOW I don't own them. **

* * *

There was a short silence broken by a cough from Uncle Vernon as he entered the kitchen. McKenzie looked at the fat man in front of him, a look of disgust on his face. "Detective McKenzie, London Police. I'm here on behalf of an anonymous phone call regarding child abuse."

Uncle Vernon looked outraged. "Child abuse?! I do no such thing! Dudders is very well taken care of!"

McKenzie slowly raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Dursley, let me put you at ease. I am not here on behalf of, err … 'Dudders'. I am here on behalf of the _other_ child you provide a home to."

Uncle Vernon frowned. "Other child? Oh, you mean the boy?"

"Yes, Mr. Dursley. But I believe the boy has a name", McKenzie said, before gently looking down at Harry, "What's your name, son?"

"Harry, sir. Harry Potter", Harry said, and recoiled as Uncle Vernon clenched his hand into a fist.

"I don't know what lies have been fed to you, Detective, but I do not abuse the- err … Harry."

"How do you explain the bruise on his face?" McKenzie asked, gently running his fingers along the bruise, "Or the one around his neck?"

"I … I have no idea", Uncle Vernon said, his eyes shifting around wildly. Harry opened his mouth to say something, but shrank away as Uncle Vernon shot him a glare. If looks could kill …

"Mr. Dursley, let me advise you that investigations will take place. Once a week, an officer will come in to make sure everything is okay", McKenzie said, "You must agree to this, or we will do it by force."

Uncle Vernon slowly nodded his head.

* * *

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_I don't know how this letter is going to reach you; to be honest, I don't even know why I'm writing it. But I thought I'd let you know that things are looking up. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia gave me Dudley's second room. Dudley was angry about it, of course. He threw a tantrum. He threw stuff at Aunt Petunia, and hit Uncle Vernon in his private part. Uncle Vernon says he'll never get on Dudley's bad side. __Ever again__. They've started treating me better, too. I'm allowed to eat what they eat. But not as much. Dudley still get's four times the amount what I do. Aunt Petunia says he's a 'growing boy and needs his nutrients'. Uncle Vernon still beats me, though. But now he makes sure the bruises are covered by my clothes. I thought once the detective man came, everything would be better. Isn't that what you promised me, Mr. Malfoy? Didn't you promise that I'd be in a safer place when the detective man came? I'm not in a safer place, Mr. Malfoy. In fact, the place is still very unsafe. The only difference is – I can lock my door. Not that I couldn't do that before, but it's harder to get into the cupboard under the stairs when you're in a hurry. Mr. Malfoy, I don't like it here. Uncle Vernon hates me. I'm starting to think life would be better without me in it. Mr. Malfoy, please help me. I've got cuts, Mr. Malfoy. I made them myself, to ease the pain. I read somewhere (yes, I can read) that if you get the right spot, you become happy. Like when women eat chocolate to be happy. I read that cutting the right spot will release the same endorphin thingy that chocolate does. _

_I hope Draco is having fun. I hope to see you soon._

_Lots of love,_

_Harry_

* * *

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_I think I went too far this time, Mr. Malfoy. I back-chatted Uncle Vernon. I told him he didn't have the guts to throw me out on the street. I told him he's fat, Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy, he threatened to kill me. Uncle Vernon has always hated me, but he has never threatened to kill me. I'm scared, Mr. Malfoy. I don't want to be here anymore. Where are you, Mr. Malfoy? Why aren't you saving me? You promised me, Mr. Malfoy, you promised that I'd be in a safer place. That was two months ago. Mr. Malfoy, I'm starting to doubt you. I thought you were my guardian angel, Mr. Malfoy. Your hair makes you look like an angel. You're pretty, just like an angel. If you're an angel, why aren't you saving me? Mr. Malfoy, I thought angels saved people. Where's my angel?_

_Lots of love,_

_Harry_

* * *

Lucius read the two letters from Harry with tears in his eyes. Unknown to Harry, Lucius had asked his house elf, Dobby, to pop into Harry's room at night to make sure he was okay. Dobby had found these two letters, addressed to Lucius. _I did. I promised him a safer place to live …_ Lucius thought. Severus stood in front of his husband, looking concerned. He hadn't read the letter, but he made a mental note to do just that. Lucius slowly sank into a couch, wiping his eyes. "Severus … Harry's in danger. I can't do anything."

Severus frowned. "Why not?"

"Dumbledore. He's got an eye on Harry. He's determined to keep him with the Dursley's until he comes of age."

Severus let out a roar of rage. "That's _bullshit_! 'Until he comes of age'. That's thirteen fucking years away! What the _fuck_ is Dumbledore thinking?!"

Lucius put a hand on Severus' shoulder to calm him. "He's obviously under the impression that he is looking out for what is best for Harry."

"Don't, Lucius", Severus spat, shoving Lucius' hand off his shoulder, "Don't you _dare _start making excuses for the barmy old man."

"Daddy? Sevvy?"

Both men turned to see a frightened looking Draco standing in the doorway of their room. Draco was dressed in his pajamas, and was clutching a teddy bear tightly in his arms. "I heard shouting, Daddy. Are you and Sevvy fighting?" Draco asked. Lucius walked over to his son and picked him up.

"No, Draco darling. Sevvy and I love each other very much", he said, "We would never fight."

Draco looked at Severus, as though seeking confirmation.

"That's right, Draco", Severus said, walking over to his husband and stepson. "We would never fight."

* * *

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_I ran away from home._

_Lots of love,_

_Harry._


	5. Chapter 5

_Ahem … I would like to announce that I have a grand total of 13 reviews. –serious nod- I counted them myself! I didn't look at the 'Reviews' part of the page. Nope. Not at all. –cough-_

**Disclaimer: This disclaimer is for this chapter, and all future chapters. I. Don't. Own. Harry. Potter.**

* * *

"What do you mean he ran away?!" Severus said. Lucius slowly held up the note.

"It's all there in writing, Sev", Lucius said. Severus took the note.

"It must be a joke."

"It's not a joke. If you saw how he wrote the other letters …" Lucius trailed off. He hadn't let Severus read the other letters. Abuse was a soft spot for him. Severus placed his hands on his hips.

"Lucius Malfoy, you will let me read those letters. _Now_."

Lucius nodded slowly, and reached into his dressing table drawer. He pulled out the two letters and handed them to Severus. Severus sat on the bed and began reading the notes.

* * *

Harry didn't know whether the last letter had reached Lucius or not. He had run away from home. Uncle Vernon had made several death threats to the five year old, and finally, one night, had gotten drunk and attempted murder on the boy.

_Harry was asleep in his room. He heard a loud crash from downstairs. Harry's eyes shot open. Uncle Vernon was drunk. It wasn't the first time this had happened. Harry's eyes widened in realization. Uncle Vernon was drunk. Uncle Vernon had threatened to kill Harry. Uncle Vernon was on his way up the stairs. Harry jumped out of his bed, dropped to his knees and reached underneath the bed. He could hear Uncle Vernon's footsteps getting louder. Harry quickened his search. Finally, he pulled out a backpack, and quickly began throwing clothes into it. He threw a pad of paper and several pens into it. He would need to inform Lucius, Severus and Draco of where he was. _

_Just as Harry opened the window to make his escape, the door flew open. Harry turned, his gaze now on the drunken Uncle Vernon, who was brandishing a knife dangerously. "Come here, boy", Uncle Vernon said, slurring his words. Harry shook his head wildly. Uncle Vernon growled in frustration. "It wasn't a question, it was an order! Come here!"_

_Harry slowly moved towards Uncle Vernon. When he was close enough, Uncle Vernon reached out his free hand and grabbed Harry tightly by the arm. "I'm gonna show you just how lucky you are Petunia and I took you in!"_

_Uncle Vernon thrust the knife in Harry's direction, but because he was drunk, his vision was slightly off, and he only hit Harry's shoulder. Harry winced, and shrank away from Uncle Vernon as he released his grip. "Next time I'll hit your heart", Uncle Vernon muttered, taking a step forward. He staggered, and tripped. Harry took this moment to dart to the window, and quickly jump out of it. He landed on the ground, picked up his bag, and ran, blinded by the searing pain in his shoulder. He didn't know where he was; he only knew he wanted to get as far away from Privet Drive as possible._

_Finally, the pain was too much. Harry dropped onto the grass, tears stinging at his eyes as he ripped a piece of paper off the pad, and wrote a short note to Lucius. _

Harry sighed, looking at his shoulder. It had been three days since he had run away. Surely Aunt Petunia would have noticed. Surely she would have gone looking for him. After all, wasn't she concerned about the threat from the 'tall, skinny old man'?

* * *

"There!"

Severus threw the three letters down onto Dumbledore's desk.

"Is that enough proof for you? The first two letters confess abuse. More than once. The third is about Harry running away from home. We have _no fucking clue_ where the boy is, Dumbledore!"

"Severus, I cannot-"

"Don't!" Severus spat. "Don't you _dare_ feed me some lame ass excuse! You have the power to look for Harry! You just choose not to!"

"My dear Severus, as I told your husband – you have only known the boy for a mere few months. The Dursley's have-"

"Yes, I know the Dursley's have known Harry his whole life. Fuck, I'm pretty sure the Dursley's _abused_ Harry for his whole life!"

Dumbledore calmly scanned the letters. "These are written as if by an adult."

"Are you accusing me of plagiarism, Dumbledore?"

"Not you, personally Severus. But an adult, no doubt. A five year old would not be able to write so well."

"If you knew the boy at _all_, Dumbledore, you'd know he was smarter than the average five year old. For god sake, he's been _cutting_! Does this information mean _nothing_ to you?!"

"Severus, if it will make you happy, I will investigate the Dursley's home-"

"Fuck the Dursley's home! You've checked them. Lucius told me they Confunded you."

"They are not wizards, as I pointed out to Lucius."

"They are not saints, either, but you seem to think they are!" Realisation then dawned on Severus. "You don't care about the boy, do you, Dumbledore?"

"Whatever do you mean, Severus? Of course I care about the boy. If I did not care about the boy, I wouldn't have taken him to his last living relatives."

"That just proves that you _don't_ care about Harry! Harry has _more_ living relatives, Dumbledore. They are just not blood related."

"Who are you talking about, Severus?"

"Sirius Black!"

Dumbledore fell silent. It seemed he had nothing to say, until …

"Sirius is dead, Severus."

"Oh, bull_shit_!" Severus growled, "Black is alive and thriving, Dumbledore. You're mistaking Black for the _Potters_. Voldemort never got to Black, you idiot! Black was there when Hagrid picked Harry up from the Potters' ruined home! Black even offered to take care of Harry, if I remember correctly. Black could have protected Harry, given him a _proper_ life. But you don't care about that now, do you Dumbledore? All you care about is Voldemort and the final battle. Tell me, Dumbledore, what will you do if Harry refuses to fight Voldemort?"

Dumbledore locked gazes with Severus. "He will not refuse. The prophecy has stated that Harry _must_ fight."

* * *

_Dun dun dunnn! More drama and a kind of cliffhanger. I was gonna end it at the 'Sirius is dead', part, but then I thought … no, I won't do that. Also, I didn't mean to make Severus' explanation that long, but the ideas just kept flowing! _

…

_Also, this chapter is dedicated to Ambo (Long live the pickles) as I wrote it so she'd have something to read when she woke up. Hope you enjoyed it. _


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N – Oh, hi guys. It's been a while, huh? Well... I just reread this fic, and was inspired... so I'm going to try and finish it.**

**Disclaimer – I own nothing.**

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Sirius Black was never one to keep himself cooped up all day. Unfortunately, for the past five years, it had been unavoidable. With the deaths of his best friend and his best friend's wife, James and Lily Potter, Sirius had been forced to lock himself away in his home at 12 Grimmauld Place. He had been accused of murdering his best friends, along with several muggles. It had been at the advice of Lucius Malfoy and Severus Snape that Sirius had gone into hiding. It was bad enough that Hagrid had seen Sirius at James and Lily's house on the night of the murder. Lucius and Severus had known that Hagrid would say something to Dumbledore after he took Harry to the elderly Headmaster. So the two had advised Sirius to go back to his house, and hide until they told him otherwise. Sirius' house elf, Kreacher, did Sirius' errands, although he did them unenthusiastically and usually had to be punished before he did anything.

At this present moment, Sirius was sitting in the dining room eating the miserable lunch Kreacher had prepared for him. As he ate, he heard some movement in the front room, and shortly after, Kreacher came into the dining room. "Master has a letter", Kreacher said, followed by some incoherent words which Sirius could only assume were insults towards him. Sirius eyed the house elf somewhat apprehensively, before taking the letter. He sniffed it, held it up to the light and shook it until he was convinced there was nothing wrong with it.

_Sirius,_

__

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. I know we have not had much contact in the past, and I know that you have not been allowed to see young Harry as much as you would like, but I feel this is something that you should know. Harry, as you know, was sent to live with Lily's sister and her husband, the Dursley's. While they have kept the boy alive for all this time, they have not been treating Harry the way he needs to be treated. They have shown him no love and no respect. In fact, up until a few weeks ago, they had him living in the cupboard under the stairs. Severus and I met the boy a few months ago, in the park. He was wearing clothes too big for him, and was unconscious when Draco spotted him. I checked him over for injuries, and there was a large bruise on his back. Harry claimed he had fallen. It took a while, but eventually Harry confessed that Vernon Dursley has been abusing him.

_We need your help, Sirius. Severus and I received a letter from Harry stating that he has run away. He has not said __**where**__ he ran to, only that he has run away. We have Dobby searching for him. Severus and I have searched for him. We checked the park, thinking that would be the first place he would have gone. But we cannot find him, Sirius. And we fear the worst. Dumbledore will not help us. We need __**your**__ help, Sirius. We've set up a room for you in our home. Severus and I believe we can keep you off the radar. You are an animagus, correct? An unregistered one, at that. You will be of great help. It is only right that you are involved in this, Sirius. You are the only true family the boy has left._

__

Please write back as soon as possible with your answer. Severus and I are waiting.

Yours,  
Lucius.

Sirius had been slowly gripping the table tighter and tighter while he read the letter. The Dursley's were abusing _his_ godson? And now _his_ godson was missing? He couldn't help it. A loud, unhuman growl bubbled in Sirius' throat, and eventually escaped. It was loud enough to draw Kreacher back into the dining room. The look on Sirius' face was enough to let the house elf know that Sirius was in _no_ mood for his muttering. "Is there something Kreacher can do for you, Master?" the house elf asked, eyeing his master warily. Sirius looked at the house elf, a wild look in his eyes. "I need some parchment and a quill", he said, trying hard to keep his voice level. Kreacher exited the dining room.

A few minutes later, Sirius was hunched over the table, scribbling furiously.

_Lucius,_

_I can't believe it has taken so long for someone to let me know that my __**godson**__ is missing. And what the hell is Dumbledore's problem? Does he not care for Harry at all? He's __**five**__ for Merlin's sake. Of course I will be coming to help you search for him. I will not rest until I have custody of that child. I will be there within the hour._

__

Sirius.

Sirius straightened and rolled the parchment up. He looked at Kreacher, who had surprisingly stayed to see if Sirius needed anything else. "I need you to take this to Lucius Malfoy", Sirius said, holding the parchment out to the house elf. Kreacher stepped forward to take the parchment, but Sirius snatched it back. "And _only _Lucius Malfoy." Kreacher bowed deeply.  
"Kreacher will take the letter to Lucius Malfoy and _only_ Lucius Malfoy", the house elf said, looking up from his bow. Sirius eyed Kreacher apprehensively, before handing him the parchment. "Be back soon, I will need your help packing." Kreacher only nodded, and with a pop, he disappeared.

Sirius stared at the space where Kreacher had been, before throwing himself into gear. He sprinted out of the dining room, and ran up the stairs, taking as many stairs at a time as his long legs would let him. Within seconds, he had reached his bedroom. He threw his trunk onto his bed, and pulled it open. Wasting no time in folding things neatly, Sirius began throwing things into the open trunk.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N – Just occurred to me that this fic was created in 2007. It's 2010 now. What the heck have I been doing for three years?**

**Disclaimer – I don't own anything.**

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Kreacher had left and returned in a matter of 10 minutes. He helped Sirius pack everything he would need for an undetermined amount of time. Kreacher promised Sirius that if his master needed anything, he would bring it to him. Sirius was surprised by Kreacher's willingness to help, but didn't question it. True to his word, Sirius was at Lucius' mansion within the hour. He Apparated out of Grimmauld Place to the Malfoy Mansion, and was greeted by Severus and Lucius, who were both standing out front waiting for him.

"Sirius", Lucius greeted. Severus nodded his head. Sirius opened his mouth to greet the two men, but stopped when he saw a little blond head poke out from behind Severus' legs. Sirius looked at the boy, and slowly kneeled down so he was at eye level. "You must be Draco", he said. The little boy nodded, and stepped out from behind Severus' legs. Sirius could see there were tear streaks down the boy's cheeks. "Are you going to help us find Harry?" Draco asked, his voice soft. Sirius nodded slowly.

"I'm going to try", he said.

An hour later, Sirius had settled himself into the room Lucius and Severus had given him. It was a large room, too large for the man who would be living in it, but Sirius wasn't going to complain. It felt odd being in the house of the two men he had despised in school. It wasn't until after they had graduated that Sirius, Lucius and Severus had mended their differences. Severus had been a good friend of Lily's, so James had tried to get along with Severus for Lily's sake. Sirius had tried to get along with Severus for James's sake, and then for Severus' sake, the two men had tried to get along with Lucius. It turned out that the two men were not as horrible as Sirius had once thought they were. Sirius actually had no idea why he'd thought Severus and Lucius were terrible men. It probably had something to do with the fact that Sirius' family was horrible, and they'd all been in Slytherin. Therefore, Sirius had associated anyone in Slytherin with his horrible family, and had despised anyone in Slytherin.

Sirius was drawn out of his thoughts by a knock at the door. He turned his head slightly, to see Lucius standing in the doorway. "We're going to start looking for Harry again", Lucius said. "Dobby has been looking nonstop since we received the letter. Severus and I are not able to search for Harry nonstop, as we must sleep." Sirius straightened, and turned to face Lucius fully.

"When did Harry send you the letter telling you that he had run away?" Sirius asked. Lucius thought for a moment.

"It can't have been more than five days ago", he replied.

"And how did he get it to you?"

This question had stumped Lucius. He took a while longer, maybe five minutes, to answer this question. "I think", Lucius started, moving further into the room, "That Harry is a more powerful wizard than we give him credit for. Even at only five years old."

"And he knows about the wizarding world?" Sirius asked. Lucius nodded.  
"Oh yes. Severus and I explained as much as we could to him without overloading his brain. He _is_ only five, and he didn't understand a lot of what we were trying to tell him, but he did grasp the fact that he is indeed different to his aunt, uncle and cousin. He has practiced a little magic already, it seems, without knowing it."  
"And you told him about Dumbledore?" Sirius watched as Lucius came further into the room, before sitting himself down on the bed.  
"We informed Harry that Dumbledore is not trying to help him in the same way we are", Lucius said, a light frown on his face.

Sirius matched the frown on Lucius' face, casting another glance in the man's direction. "Why, then", he started, leaning forward, "did it take so long for you and Severus to tell me that my godson was missing?" Lucius gave Sirius a sharp look.

"Did you know that Dumbledore has been telling the world that you are dead?" he asked. Sirius shook his head. "Dumbledore has been telling the world that you were so overcome with grief by what you had done to James and Lily Potter, that you took your own life." Sirius opened his mouth to speak, but Lucius held up a hand to stop him. "The reason why it took so long for Severus and I to tell you is because Dumbledore does not believe that you are alive. Severus and I had to take precautions. We had to discuss what was right for our family, and how we would go about keeping you off the radar. You are a wanted man, Sirius Black."

Sirius nodded in understanding. "When are we going to look for Harry?" he asked.

"If you would be so kind as to change into your animagus form, we will leave in ten minutes", Lucius said. He turned away from Sirius, and left the room.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Lucius was waiting in the foyer with Severus. They had one of the house elves watching Draco. They heard a noise from the stairs, and both men turned to see a large black dog trotting towards them, its tongue lolling out the side of its mouth. "Okay, Sirius. We're going to take you to the park first, as we believe that is where Harry's scent will be strongest. He spent a lot of time at the park", Lucius said. Sirius nodded his head to show he understood. "When you pick up his scent in the park, we'll need you to follow it." Sirius nodded again.

"We should have cast a tracking spell on the boy the minute we met him", Severus said. Sirius turned his head upwards to look at Severus, and nodded once to show he agreed.

"We did not know how extreme Harry's situation was, Severus. It would have been unethical of us to cast a tracking spell on him when we hardly knew the boy", Lucius said, placing a hand on Severus' arm.

Severus only nodded, and moved to pull the front door open. Sirius bounded outside, too anxious to even enjoy the sunlight he hadn't seen in five years. He looked back towards Lucius and Severus, and waited for further instruction. "The park is that way", Lucius said, pointing. Sirius took off. Severus and Lucius followed him at a quick pace.

"What are we going to tell people if they ask about the dog?" Severus asked, watching the dog run in the distance.

"That we took in a stray", Lucius replied.

* * *

Sirius worked quickly. His nose was pressed firmly to the ground and he was sniffing what felt like every single thing in the park. He sniffed the playground, the trees, and individual blades of grass. Lucius and Severus kept their distance so not to disturb Sirius' work, or interfere with Harry's scent. "I have a theory", Severus said quietly, so Sirius could not hear him. Lucius turned to face the man.

"What is it?" he asked. Severus thought for a moment.

"What if Harry _did_ come here, but was taken?" he asked. "What if Harry had come here in the hopes of seeing us here, but someone took him before we could get here?" Lucius frowned. "Think about it, Lucius. We're here every day with Draco. Harry has met us here before. So what if he came here to meet with us, but someone took him before he could find a place to hide the night?"

Lucius sighed. It was a valid point. Harry was a young boy from a well-off family (not that they cared about him). He started to reply to Severus, but was interrupted by a bark. An _excited_ bark. Severus and Lucius turned towards the source of the noise. Sirius was facing them, though looked as if he wanted to head in a certain direction. He barked again, this time more urgently. Severus and Lucius didn't say anything to each other as they hurried to follow the dog.


End file.
